ME AND MY DILLON 650

[Sarge]

I thought I would start something up here in the Dillon forum. There are so many questions asked and answered on here that I thought I might document my loading sessions and experiences with the Dillon 650. Kind of reloading journal if you will. And of course when I hit a bump in the road I'll post it here and work it out. Either I'll work it out on my own or I'll get help from the forum. Either way, we all learn.

Basic info is as follows. Currently my reloading consists of 9MAJOR and some 9minor. I of course have a case feeder on the press. I also have a Mr Bullet Feeder. It is the latest version that hangs from the case feeder. I use an EGW U-die and a Redding seating die. Not the competition seating die just the standard seating die. The reason for using this die is to have easier adjustments when I want to tinker with oals.

Most of the mods I have made are on here somewhere but I will eventually put them on here.

I try to reload in 1000 round sessions. The 650 as set up will crank out a thousand rounds in less than an hour quite easily. But I like to case gauge and empty out the bin before I call it a day(or night).

Well, I'm headed back to the reloading room to knock out a few hundred more!

[Sarge]

This post is for those who often wonder if they can really load as much ammo on a 650 as everybody says they can. Took me just over 5 minutes to add bullets, lube and add brass, add primers, clear two minor stoppages and load 100 rounds of 9mm.

As you can tell I am in no way rushing the process. When these machines are dialed in they are an ammo making machine.

[Hi-Power Jack]

Thanks, Kevin, I've never seen a 650 (or 550 or 1050)

actually perform ...

I've been using a SD for years - that is eye opening

Only problem I see ?? is examining cases and filling primers -

I would take 20 minutes to load the 100 rounds, not including

filling the primer tube, but including examining each piece of

brass (headstamp, etc) while loading. Do you take another few

minutes to examine the brass?

BUT, that speed is awesome, and Very smooth.

Again, thanks for sharing ...

Any difference with a 1050, except having the eight stations, and

ability to load crimped cases?

[vluc]

Great video. The 650 is a bullet machine when you get going.

[Sarge]

Only problem I see ?? is examining cases and filling primers -

I would take 20 minutes to load the 100 rounds, not including

filling the primer tube, but including examining each piece of

brass (headstamp, etc) while loading. Do you take another few

minutes to examine the brass?

I can't speak to the 1050 only to say it does a lot of nice stuff such as a swaging station and priming on the down stroke. I'm sure it's quite a machine but really, I find the 650 to be a great set up.

My brass routine is pretty drawn out. I look at it when I pick it up or unbox it. I look at it when I sort it by headstamp. I look at it when I process it. Suffice it to say, when it gets to my loading bench I know exactly which headstamp and in what condition any brass is. I run the press by a lot of feel. To me, I can feel the difference in the way some brass takes a primer so I don't like to mix headstamps. When I seat a primer and it feels "off" I can pull that case and check it out. I have found some high primers, upside down primers and side ways primers. All by feel.

When I dump brass in the case feeder I am reasonably certain what the end result will be.

[GR8GIFT]

The 650's are great machines I can go through 100 rounds of 45 in about 7 to 8 minutes when I'm in the grove. I usually start with 5 full primer tubes open a box of 500 cast 200 gr swc's and usually have and empty box in under 40 minutes that's without a bullet feeder. I don't have any crimped brass to worry about so I'v never felt the need for a 1050, even though I've used one at my father in laws house. The 650's are all I need one for large and one for small primers. So I never have to mess with changing out the primer feed. I only do that on my one 550 for small bunches of rifle ammo.

[Bob DuBois]

Kevin, thanks for the post. Had my 650 about two years now wish I would have bought one sooner. Used 550's for a long time before moving to the 650. When it's on and running smooth wow it amazing how easy it is to put out quality ammo in a short time.

[Youngeyes]

Great video Sarge. I can see your left hand twitching sometimes. Probably some leftover muscle memory from the days before Mr. Bulletfeeder.

[DickP3]

Hey Sarge You really rock on that machine. One question. In previous posts when you had a 550, you made a point seeing powder in the case. Can you still do a visual powder check with the bullet feeder setup?

[Hi-Power Jack]

NOTE TO DILLON OR BRIAN:

You really should

post video like this for the 550 and 1050 -

and the Square Deal, so people can see what

it takes to load 100 rounds with each machine.

That video is quite an eye opener

Maybe put all four video's on the same post,

so we can watch 100 rounds being made on the

550, 650 & 1050 (might load 35 rounds with

the SD since I don't want to watch it for

20 minutes).

Great stuff - thanks Sarge.

Edited October 8, 2012 by Hi-Power Jack

[nj mike]

Nice sarge Mr. bulletfeeder is in my near future

[Sarge]

Hey Sarge You really rock on that machine. One question. In previous posts when you had a 550, you made a point seeing powder in the case. Can you still do a visual powder check with the bullet feeder setup?

Sure can. The MBF is right after the powder drop. The full case comes around and is right in front of me before I pull the handle to raise it to the bullet. I actually look at two things before each stroke. I look at the powder and the next case coming out of the case feeder.

[Sarge]

A few folks have asked about being able to see powder in the case before a bullet is seated. First, the operator needs to stand slightly to the left of center on the press in order to be able to see the powder in the case.

I shot a short video. Of course it's a little blurry because I really don't have a good close work camera but it shows my bird's eye view of the shell plate during loading.

[justaute]

Nice work, Kevin. I put in a 20-minute session today and loaded 400 rounds of 9mm.

[DickP3]

Thanks for the comment about what you are actually watching just before raising the platform. That helps me a lot as does the video.

[agalindo]

NOTE TO DILLON OR BRIAN:

You really should

post video like this for the 550 and 1050 -

and the Square Deal, so people can see what

it takes to load 100 rounds with each machine.

That video is quite an eye opener

Maybe put all four video's on the same post,

so we can watch 100 rounds being made on the

550, 650 & 1050 (might load 35 rounds with

the SD since I don't want to watch it for

20 minutes).

Great stuff - thanks Sarge.

So true for a couple of weeks I've been searching for a video like this. Been wanting to see how fast you can load but all the vids I found were aimed at the new shooter. Slow loading with lots of stoppages in order to explain what's going on.

[Franco79]

I see that you lube up the brass. Do you clean off the lube when you are done with a batch of ammo or let it set?

[Franco79]

I dont think Dillon will use this Video as they dont endorse Bullet Feeders. They have stated that Bullet Feeders will take the safety out of knowing if your brass got a dbl powder charge etc etc. Plus I think they would have made a Bullet Feeder by now for their products knowing how much faster they are to make ammo..

NOTE TO DILLON OR BRIAN:

You really should

post video like this for the 550 and 1050 -

and the Square Deal, so people can see what

it takes to load 100 rounds with each machine.

That video is quite an eye opener

Maybe put all four video's on the same post,

so we can watch 100 rounds being made on the

550, 650 & 1050 (might load 35 rounds with

the SD since I don't want to watch it for

20 minutes).

Great stuff - thanks Sarge.

[Jollymon32]

My arm hurts just from seeing that video....

[jmorris]

The 650 as set up will crank out a thousand rounds in less than an hour quite easily. But I like to case gauge and empty out the bin before I call it a day(or night).

What bin are you using? Mine only hold around 300 9mm rounds.

[Grumpy's Toy]

Questons Sarge, 1: will it work with Bayou bullets?

2: what do you have to change, for each caliber, and at what extra cost?

3: what crimp die do you use, becuase it sure runs smooth, cant be the Lee FCD

I have the Hornady setup for 45 acp, and hours of fiddling with the collets to no prevail for Bayous.

After the cost of the machine with 45 acp, what would it cost me to do 9mm, 38/357 and 45LC.

[Too_Slow]

As I recall the cost of the caliber change over is $150 each. That being said for what you showed there 45acp & 45LC would be the same parts so only need to move the bullet dropper from one toolhead to the other for that, and for the 9mm & 38/357 would be the same as well (38super,9mm, and 38/357 all use the same dropper and collator parts) so again just moving the bullet dropper between toolheads for those two also. So if you buy the unit with one extra change over you would be good for the 4 calibers.

Brian

[Grumpy's Toy]

Thanks Brian, Sure wish my Hornady unit would work with Bayous, but i just may sell it, as i have 10,000

Bayous waiting for cases...

[Sarge]

The 650 as set up will crank out a thousand rounds in less than an hour quite easily. But I like to case gauge and empty out the bin before I call it a day(or night).

What bin are you using? Mine only hold around 300 9mm rounds.

The smallest bin on my bench is the 1050 bin. I built some risers out of wood and slide a 1050 bin up under the chute. It holds in the neighborhood of 800 or so if I recall. When I want to run a bunch I'll slide an SL900 bin in there. It will hold umpteen thousand 9mm's.

[Sarge]

I see that you lube up the brass. Do you clean off the lube when you are done with a batch of ammo or let it set?

As a matter of fact I tossed some loaded rounds in the tumbler the other night. They are beautiful. The one shot tends to gunk things up a little and leave them slightly tacky from time to time. They also start to turn a darker color in my opinion. I'm wondering if the lube acts as a polish in the tumbler because they are so shiny when done.